From: Rob Partington <rjp@...>
Date: 2003-11-17T10:26:07+09:00
Subject: regexp indexes to strings

I like this, but can it be extended to work for replacing?

  irb(main):001:0> a="123-456-1239"
  => "123-456-1239"
  irb(main):002:0> a[/123/]
  => "123"
  irb(main):003:0> a[/123/]="xxx"
  => "xxx"
  irb(main):004:0> a
  => "xxx-456-1239"

This is good stuff.  Except it doesn't extend.

  irb(main):005:0> a="123-456-1239"
  => "123-456-1239"
  irb(main):006:0> a[/123/, 2]="xxx"
  IndexError: index 2 out of regexp
          from (irb):6:in `[]='
          from (irb):6
  irb(main):007:0> a[/123/, 1]="xxx"
  IndexError: index 1 out of regexp
          from (irb):7:in `[]='
          from (irb):7
  irb(main):008:0> a
  => "123-456-1239"

Bah!  This would really rule.